Supergirl To Feature TV's First Ever Transgender Superhero

'It’s such an important issue right now in our society and in the world, so it seems only fitting that we have a trans superhero for trans kids to look up to.'

Just weeks after Scarlett Johanson pulled out of Rub & Tugover the intense backlash she received for being cast as a transgender man, Supergirl has revealed that Nicole Maines will be cast as the first ever trans superhero on TV.

Appearing at San Diego Comic-Con to announce the news, Maines said of her character: "Nia is a new reporter at CatCo; she’s worked for Cat Grant in Washington DC, and has been sent to National City to be taken under Kara’s wing and taught the ways of reporting and superheroism."

"She is so wide-eyed, she’s very happy to be there, she’s so happy to be included. She has this ferocious drive to protect people and fight against discrimination and hatred -- she’s the superhero we need right now."

Maines is best known as the pseudonymous plaintiff in Doe v. Clency, the landmark 2013 case in which the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled it was unlawful for schools to deny transgender students access to the restroom consistent with their gender.

On Saturday's carpet, the actress told ET: "I think this is just a wonderful opportunity to open more eyeballs and for people to understand that we're all human and we all love what we love, love who we love, and there's no reason to be, in any way shape or form, judgmental about that."

Fans across social media were quick to celebrate Maines' inclusion within the series, with one user posting on Twitter: "Fully in tears to hear the first trans superhero announced and see @NicoleAMaines walking out on the stage for the SG panel."